Code letter system and method

ABSTRACT

A system and method using codes or symbols for solving word, numbers or trivia puzzles or game in which a correct answer or portion of an answer to one part of the puzzle provides the player with the correct answer or portion of the correct answer for the remaining unanswered portions of the puzzle.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/727,426, filed Oct. 17, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a word, number or trivia game, puzzle, system or method, and in particular a system or method in which by answering a portion or portions of a game, puzzle, or system, the player learns other answers or portions of other answers throughout the puzzle based on common codes or symbols located throughout the puzzle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Games, puzzles, systems and methods have existed for many years in which a player is provided a grid or layout, in many cases including blank boxes or spaces. These puzzles are often found in newspapers, computer and traditional games, books, and on the Internet. Along with the grid or layout, the game provides numerous clues or questions to assist the player in filling in the blank boxes or spaces in the grid. As the player determines the correct answer to each clues or question, the correct answer to other clues may become more evident. Such games are known for example as crossword puzzles, Jumbles, or Sudoku puzzles.

As an example, a crossword puzzle may contain a two-dimensional layout in a newspaper with a number of empty boxes, many having a number associated with that box. The crossword puzzle also contains a number of questions or clues. The question or clue will have a number corresponding to the number on one of the boxes in the grid. Depending on whether the clue is from the “across” or “down” list of clues, the answer to the clue can be entered into the empty boxes.

In this example, a down answer may intersect an across answer, such that when the down answer is correctly entered, one of the letters for the across answer will be known. The player may then have an easier time determining the answer to the across clue. The player continues to determine the answers to the clues until all of the boxes in the puzzle have been correctly entered.

Although these types of puzzles or games inherently become easier as the clues are correctly determined and the grid is completed, there exists a need for a puzzle of this type in which additional boxes throughout the puzzle may be filled in with the correct number or letter based on correctly answering the clue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention allows for codes or symbols to be placed in various boxes or spaces throughout a puzzle layout or grid. These codes represent an answer, such as a letter, number or word. Once the player knows the correct letter or number answer for one particular code or symbol, all of the letter or number answers for the rest of the similar codes or symbols throughout the grid will be known and can be entered into the grid.

For a crossword puzzle, some of the boxes in the crossword puzzle may contain a symbol, for example a small circle, in the lower right corner of the box (of course, any symbol or representation can be used in any part of the box or space). Once the player provides a correct answer that includes a letter for the box that contains the symbol, in this case a small circle, the player will know the letter that belongs in each box that contains that small circle. After answering a number of questions and obtaining the answer for some or all of the codes or symbols, the player can then place the correct letter in each box that corresponds to the similar code or symbol. The same process could be used for trivia games, number games and Sudoku puzzles.

Further, these various types of games or even a number of the same games, can be combined using the same codes or symbols for the different games in a crossover fashion. For example, if in a correct answer to a crossword puzzle, the small circle code represents the letter “L,” that same code may be used in an answer to a Jumble-type puzzle (or to another crossword puzzle). There is no limit to how many of these different types of games (or number of same games) can be combined with the same codes or symbols.

Also, some of the puzzles may be linked or overlapped, and use the same codes or symbols throughout the linked puzzles. The codes or symbols can be anything that differentiates the codes from each other, for example, shapes, letters, numbers, or colors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a crossword-type puzzle;

FIG. 2 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a trivia-type puzzle;

FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a combination crossword-type/trivia-type puzzle;

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a combination of multiple puzzles;

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a crossword-type puzzle;

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a crossword-type puzzle;

FIG. 7 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a crossword-type puzzle;

FIG. 8 is an embodiment of the present invention showing math and sudoku-type puzzles;

FIG. 9 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a Sudoku-type puzzle; and

FIG. 10 is an embodiment of the present invention showing a multiple Sudoku-type puzzle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to codes or symbols placed in various boxes or spaces throughout a puzzle layout or grid which represent letters or numbers as part of an answer to a question or problem. Once the correct answer is known, the player will know the letter or number that corresponds to that code or symbol. Then, all of the blank boxes or spaces that correspond to that code or symbol can be filled in with the same letter or number, making the puzzle easier to solve.

In other words, the present invention relates to using codes or symbols in a system by which certain letters, numbers or answers can be filled into the empty boxes or spaces on the grid or layout of a puzzle or game. The code or symbol will correspond to or represent an indication such as a letter or number as part of the answer. That letter or number placed in the box or space having that code or symbol can then be filled in throughout the puzzle or game at all of the boxes with similar codes or symbols to facilitate the completion of the puzzle or game by the player.

FIG. 1 shows a (crossword-type) puzzle 10 in which a grid 12 is used with codes or symbols 14, such as circles 16, diamonds 18, stars 20, squares 22 and triangles 24. The top of FIG. 1 shows the completed puzzle and an answer key for reference only. The symbols 14 are placed in certain boxes or spaces 26 (only one indicated by numeral) of the puzzle layout or grid 12. The letters 28 are obtained from a correct answer 30 located in the boxes 26 that contain a symbol 14. For example, a circle 16 corresponds to the letter L 30. In this case, the symbol 14 is located in the lower right-hand corner of a box 26, but it can be placed anywhere in the box 26, or even outside the box 26, but relating to a particular box 26.

The boxes 26 that contain a small square symbol 22 in FIG. 1 correspond to the letter N 32, the boxes 26 that contain a small star symbol 20 correspond to the letter T 34, the boxes 26 that contain a small diamond symbol 18 correspond to the letter R 36, and the boxes 26 that contain a small triangle symbol 24 correspond to the letter E 38.

These codes 14 apply only to the grid 12 of the puzzle 10 shown in FIG. 1, and other puzzles (and games) would have different codes or symbols 14.

Once a player fills in a portion of a puzzle or game 10, such as a single answer 30, and they feel confident that their answer 30 is correct, then they can fill in certain letters 28 throughout the rest of the puzzle or game 10 that contain the same code or symbol 14.

In FIG. 1, the player has filled in “Banker” as the answer 30 for the portion of the crossword puzzle 10 that corresponds to a question (not shown, for example, “an occupation that manages money”), which relates to question 1 across on the puzzle 10. If the answer 30 is correct, then the player can fill in the Rs 36, Ns 32 and Es 38 that correspond to the diamonds 18, squares 22 and triangles 24, respectively, throughout the rest of the puzzle 10 at those boxes 26 that contain those particular codes or symbols 14.

There is no limit to the number of codes or symbols 14 used in a puzzle or game 10. In most cases, the more symbols 14 used, the easier the puzzle 10 will be to solve. Anything can be used to represent a code or symbol 14; for example, different shapes, colored boxes, numbers (to represent letters), letters (to represent numbers); anything that allows the player to differentiate one symbol 14 from the next.

The code or symbol 14 can also be used to link boxes 26 in puzzles and word games other than grid-type crossword puzzles 10. In FIG. 2, the codes or symbols 14 are used in conjunction with a trivia game 40. A correct answer 42 to a question 44 that contains codes or symbols 14, allows the player to fill in certain letters 46, providing the answers or portions of the answers for some or all of the remaining unanswered questions 48. As with the crossword-type puzzle 10, there is no limit to the number of possible codes or symbols 14 that can be used in a trivia-type puzzle 40.

In FIG. 2, the player reads the question 44 and comes up with the correct answer 42 (THREE). Those letters are entered into the boxes 26. Since three of the boxes 26 contain a symbol 14, the letters 46 pertaining to those symbols can be entered into other boxes 26 that contain those same symbols 14. For example, the letter E 50 corresponds to the star symbol 52, so that the letter E 50 can be placed in the answer boxes for the second question 54 (and any other boxes that contain the star symbol 52). The same exercise can be performed for the letter R 56 and the square symbol 58. Once each and every symbol 14 has a corresponding letter, the answers to the questions will be easier to determine.

The codes or symbols 14 can also be used to link multiple games or puzzles 60. In FIG. 3, a crossword-type puzzle 62 is combined with a trivia-type game 64, each using the same codes or symbols 14. In this embodiment, two games 62, 64 become part of one larger game 60.

Once a correct answer 66 to one of the trivia puzzle 62 questions 68 is known, and therefore any letters corresponding to the particular codes or symbols 14 in that answer 66 are known, those letters can be entered into the remaining corresponding boxes 26 in both the crossword-type puzzle 62 and the trivia-type puzzle 64. In FIG. 3, THREE is the correct answer 66 to the first trivia question 68, which allows the player to enter the letter E 70 in all of the boxes with a small star 72 (not all indicated), and the letter R 74 in all of the boxes 26 that contain the small square 76 (not all indicated).

There is no limit to the number or types of games or puzzles 62, 64 that can be connected using the same codes or symbols 14. In FIG. 4, a game 80 is made up of five different games or puzzles connected using the same codes or symbols 14. In FIG. 4, the same codes or symbols 14 are used for a math puzzle 82, an animal-trivia puzzle 84, a country-trivia puzzle 86, a mystery-person puzzle 88, and a guess-the-quote puzzle 90. Determining the correct answer to any of the question from any of the individual games will then allow the player to place letters in some or all of the other puzzle's answers, thereby simplifying the answers to each of the five puzzles.

Although the embodiments disclosed so far relate to historically print versions of these puzzles or games, each of these systems can be incorporated into computer games, cell phone games, video slot machines, scratch-off tickets, and the like. For example, if a player attempts to solve a puzzle in an electronic or computer game (not shown), the result, whether correct or incorrect, may be used to populate the remaining boxes in the puzzle that correspond to the similar code or symbol. In an alternative embodiment, the player may not know which boxes correspond to which codes or symbols, such that when an answer is provided on the computer screen, or cell phone display, other boxes are automatically populated with the same letter or number.

Although codes and symbols 14, such as shapes, icons, colors, etc., have been used in the present invention, there is an unlimited number of ways in which answer boxes can be “coded.” In FIG. 5, colors (described, not shown) are used for the boxes 26 of the puzzle 10 instead of shapes. These colors serve the same purpose as the shapes previously described for the codes or symbols 14. As shown in the answer key, the yellow-shaded boxes 92 represent the letter L 94, while the blue-shaded boxes 96 represent the letter N 98.

In yet another embodiment, disclosed in the puzzle 10 shown in FIG. 6, dots 100 are incorporated instead of shapes or colors, again serving the same purpose. In the FIG. 6 example (and shown in the answer key), one dot 102 represents the letter L 104, while two dots 106 represent the letter N 108.

Further, the game or system using the codes or symbols 14 can be incorporated or placed over existing puzzles 110, such as crossword-type or trivia-type puzzles, generating a new game-play experience. FIG. 7 shows a crossword-type puzzle 110 which was created without the codes or symbols 14. Subsequently, the codes or symbols 14 are incorporated or added into the puzzle 110, thereby changing the game play and thought process for the player. Different overlays (not shown) or a different number of codes or symbols 14 may be added to any existing puzzle 110 in order to change the difficulty level of the puzzle 110. For example, once a crossword puzzle is created, one overlay may have five symbols, while another overlay for the same puzzle may have seven symbols. The seven-symbol overlay would make the puzzle easier than the five-symbol overlay, which is easier than solving the puzzle without an overlay. Further, the codes or symbols 14 can be associated with particular boxes 26 using a list instead of an overlay.

FIG. 8 shows a puzzle 120 using codes or symbols 14 with mixed-up letters 122 as clues to the answers for a math-based logic puzzle 124. Although the puzzle set forth in FIG. 8, like the others, could be played without the codes or symbols 14 by unscrambling the “Mixed Up Equation” 126 only, by adding the codes or symbols 14 to the puzzle 120, the game play changes creating a different thought process in order to solve the puzzle 120.

The code or symbol system of the present invention also works with number games such as Sudoku puzzles. FIGS. 8 and 9 show Sudoku puzzles 130 in which the codes or symbols 14 represent numbers 132 instead of letters. The game play is similar to that described above, if a player can determine the correct number 132 corresponding to a code or symbol 14, then they can populate other portions of the puzzle 130 that correspond to those codes 14. Once the puzzle 130 is populated with the correct numbers 132, the puzzle 130 becomes easier to solve. Also, the player is forced or encouraged to solve certain portions of the puzzle 130 first to establish the correct numbers 132 corresponding to the code or symbol 14. The same holds for letter-type puzzles.

In the Sudoku example set forth in FIG. 8, once the player determines that the circle 134 represents the number 9 136, then the number 9 136 can be placed in all of the remaining boxes 26 that contain a circle 134, simplifying the solution to the puzzle 130.

FIG. 10 shows two Sudoku puzzles 140 that are connected by one box having the same value 142 (there could be other overlapping values). Using the codes or symbols 14, the player can attempt to solve one or both puzzles, which may play as part of one larger puzzle.

Thus, while the invention has been described herein with relation to certain embodiments and applications, those with skill in this art will recognize changes, modifications, alterations and the like which still come within the spirit of the inventive concept, and such are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims. 

1. A puzzle comprising a grid, said grid containing a plurality of boxes, wherein each box must be filled in with a correct indication to complete the puzzle, wherein in order to fill in a portion of the puzzle a player must answer a question, said puzzle containing a first group of at least two boxes in the plurality of boxes that each contain a first symbol, said first symbol represents a first indication, such that upon determining the value of the first indication for one box of the first group of at least two boxes, the player can enter the same first indication into each of the remaining boxes from the first group of at least two boxes that contain said first symbol.
 2. The puzzle of claim 1, further comprising a second group of at least two boxes containing a second symbol different than the first symbol from the first group of at least two boxes, and within the plurality of boxes, said second symbol represents a second indication different from said first indication, such that upon determining the value of the second indication for one box of the second group of at least two boxes, the player can enter the same second indication into each of the remaining boxes from the second group of at least two boxes that contain said second symbol.
 3. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of boxes are set forth in an array having at least one column.
 4. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of boxes are set forth in an array having at least one row.
 5. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the puzzle is completed by entering words into at least one of the plurality of boxes.
 6. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the puzzle is completed by entering numbers into at least one of the plurality of boxes.
 7. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the indication is a letter.
 8. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the indication is a number.
 9. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the first symbol is a shape.
 10. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the first symbol is at least one dot.
 11. The puzzle of claim 1, wherein the first symbol is distinguishable by a color. 